SHAHEEN HIGHLIGHTS COST SAVINGS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY DURING TOUR OF HIGH LINER FOODS

(Portsmouth, N.H.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) toured High Liner Foods in Portsmouth this afternoon where she discussed her bipartisan energy efficiency bill and learned how the company has reduced its energy consumption by using energy efficient technologies. Several provisions of Shaheen’s legislation, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 1000), were recently passed through Congress with broad bipartisan support and signed into law by President Obama.

During her tour, Shaheen emphasized that there is still more to be done to remove barriers facing businesses looking to adopt energy efficient technologies. Shaheen also said she will reintroduce her legislation this year to help make sure businesses have the resources they need to implement energy efficient measures.

“I was glad to see my colleagues on Capitol Hill recognize the economic and environmental benefits of efficient energy use, but more work remains,” Shaheen said. "High Liner Foods serves as a great example of how investing in energy efficiency and committing to sustainable development can create real energy savings. When companies cut energy costs, they strengthen their bottom lines and can create new jobs for new workers. I am committed to expanding these opportunities throughout New Hampshire and across the country.”

One of the leading food processors in North America, High Liner Foods has a strong focus on sustainability and has seen significant energy savings through energy efficient measures. Since 2008, High Liner has utilized a demand response program that shuts down their production when certain equipment is not in use. According to the company, the facility has managed to cut 80 percent of their electricity usage during a demand response moment.

Other energy efficiency measures implemented at the facility include the installation of LED lighting in the freezers, activation lighting in storage facilities and an energy management system for refrigeration units.

Introduced with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act would create a national energy efficiency strategy. According to a recent study by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, by 2020 the legislation could save consumers $4 billion per year and help businesses add 80,000 American jobs. The legislation has been endorsed by a coalition of more than 250 diverse businesses, trade associations and advocacy groups including the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers and the Sierra Club.

The Shaheen-Portman provisions contained in the final bill include:

• Coordination of Research and Development of Energy Efficient Technologies for Industry:  Directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to ensure that its Advanced Manufacturing Office is collaborating on research and development with other DOE offices. The Secretary is required to issue a report within two years on the steps taken by the Agency in this regard. 

• Reducing Barriers to the Deployment of Industrial Energy Efficiency: Requires the DOE to examine barriers to the deployment of energy efficient technologies in the industrial sector. The Secretary is required to issue this report within two years.

• Best Practices for Advanced Metering: Requires federal agencies to create an implementation plan to achieve established metering requirements. DOE must offer a best-practices report on the issue in collaboration with the Department of Defense and the U.S. General Services Administration.

• Federal Energy Management and Data Collection Standard: Requires covered federal facilities to use a web-based tracking system to publish energy and water consumption data by individual facility in addition to meeting existing requirements for tracking compliance with energy and water audits, costs and savings of implemented measures and benchmarking.